If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Are guitars inherently more expressive than Keyboards?

07-25-2005, 01:13 AM

Got the idea for this topic from an editorial by Paul White in Sound on Sound magazine. I won't prejudice your thinking by quoting what he said...but does the ability to massage strings on a guitar beat being able hit keys on a keyboard? Or maybe a sax is even more expressive than both...

Any opnions?

_____________________________________________
There are now 14 music videos posted on my YouTube channel, including four songs by Mark Longworth. Watch the music video playlist, subscribe, and spread the links! Check back often, because there's more to come...

Originally posted by Anderton does the ability to massage strings on a guitar beat being able hit keys on a keyboard?

yes. Any other question ?

( 1st MOTGLHC )
Click these :
( o )( o )

Originally posted by lawboy
Brikus, that's some of the funniest stuff I have ever read. Kudos my brother. There will now be an honorary Trollie Award each year named in honor of you and that thread, called the Open G Piano Award.

Originally posted by soup in a Petra Nemcova VS Josie Maran thread :
The only real winner in this thread is my weewee.

non-br00tz

Comment

Seems like a good time to pop up from the keys forum and chime in... I think it really, really depends on who's playing the guitar and keyboard, respectively. You could say that the guitar is maybe inherently more expressive, since a guitar doesn't require hours of programming. But with some good synth programming and decent use of aftertouch, mod wheel, control pedal and maybe breath control, combined with excellent playing technique, I would say keyboards can be as expressive as an any "analog" instrument if you get the drift...

Comment

To me, each instrument has its own virtues and limitations. For the ability to play both accompaniment and melody at the same time, it's hard to beat a keyboard, although it's possible to do on guitar, it's arguably more difficult.

Wind instruments, although expressive, lack the ability to play chords (unless you're talking bagpipes or harmonicas)

Everything's a tradeoff...(shrug)

My Space

Comment

As a guitarist, I can state unequivocably that I've never seen a guitar or a keyboard be expressive in the slightest. In fact, I think I would have been spooked if they began expressing anything. Probably something like, "Get OUT!!", or the like, right?

And, yes, it does sound different if a child hits Richard Clayderman, than if it is done by a classically trained adult.

Comment

For me it's always gonna seem a guitar is more expressive. However now at this point in time I'm spending much less time playing guitar and more and more with keyboards I'm intrigued at how expressive one can get with a keyboard. Guitar expressive and keyboard expressive are two different realms.

William F. Turner
Songwriter - Composer
My Music
SSS Member Since December 2000

Comment

Being a guitar player, my initial reaction was "sure, guitar's definitely the more expressive of the two." Mainly because of the directness of the instrument. Your fingers are touching the strings DIRECTLY and you can do things like impart vibrato, bends and things which are tougher (or at least require some advance preparation) on keyboard instruments.

But then I think about this friend of mine who is a concert pianist. When she plays something like Tchaikovsky's Concerto #1 and I just instantly crap my pants. That is so unbelieveably expressive to me, even though it's the expression of someone else's music.